Workshops and focuses on business with Africa have always been a key component of BIG, but this year the continent will be at the heart of the event ! Here are a few key moments from the day !

For the first time, we have had the honor to welcome the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta, along with a delegation of Ministers and top CEOs. President Kenyatta opened the day with French President Emmanuel Macron on the main stage. They both adressed the Covid-19 issue : « This is a global war and we can only win together » President Kenyatta said. He then spoke about the « potential within our youth », and went on to present the 3 big industries that offer « real opportunities in Kenya » for French entrepreneurs : technologies, and especially mobile technologies, infrastructures and manufacturing. President Macron shared his wish to strengthen France’s relations with Kenya and encouraged French entrepreneurs to foresee the many business opportunities it represents.

We also welcomed 50 African startups from the Challenge of the 1,000 Entrepreneurs. They met with entrepreneurs from our network of top business leaders, Bpifrance Excellence, around a small breakfast and discovered the French entrepreneurial ecosystem all day long through meetings and conferences.

Today was also full of workshops and conferences surrounding the African continent, and business between French and African companies. Many topics were adressed, both in French and in English, with entrepreneurs and experts from Africa and France.

Among them, a Senegalese delegation introduced the many opportunities of their country during the conference « Senegal, a land of entrepreneurship and innovation ». « Impact of Covid-19 on corporate financing in Sub-Saharan Africa » adressed the current health crisis issue.

During the conference « The French Fab : examples of African success strories », Franck Riester, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, introduced some French business success stories in Africa, alongside Pedro Novo, executive director in charge of export at Bpifrance, Adeline Lescanne and Vincent Faujour, French entrepreneurs.

Participants attending the Campus Africa further explored this continent’s tech and data industries through the « From Casablanca to Cape Town : where to begin in the Tech sector ? » and « Data valorization in Africa: a booming market? » workshops. Investment was also one of the main topics for the « Startups and investors in Africa, panorama, growth markets and opportunities » conference.

Find more about BIG6 on Bpifrance’s official YouTube page here.